Nasson College - Nugget Yearbook (Springvale, ME)

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humanities. however, we benefited from the courses and could at least order a meal without too many misunderstandings-save for eating veal feet or intestines, thinking they meant something else on the menu. we focused on fairly basic but essential vocabulary, every day learning something new. shortly after our trip to the chateaus, we had a memorable halloween party. we dressed as wealthy aristocrats, poor ragged peasants, ladders, and black cats. music filled our ears, wine our stomachs, and our evening was made. in the wake of halloween festivities came two enlightening trips: one to amsterdam, the other to paris. just as the time when papers were due and quizzes were taken, we packed our bags and left for a trip. in amsterdam, we shared in the nightlife where the dashing dutchmen danced to many american songs. we were allowed freedom to do as we chose-except for two tours, one to the rijks museum where we viewed many rembrandt paintings, and the other to a modern art museum where we felt lost in the maze of bewildering creations. amsterdam was quite a change from caen-plush nightclubs, scenic canals, english speaking people. the atmosphere lifted our spirits to a new high, conditioning us for the change of pace: back-to-study-Iife-at-caen. paris was wonderful for all. we saw the impressionists in the louvre, an opera and a symphony, a play, versailles, and we had a tour of the city. the seven days that we spent were essentially free for any activity we chose. some soaked up the more fragrant aspects of parisian life, others spent long hours in museums or eating at fine restaurants. the final event of our parisian stay was eating a good thanksgiving meal at the american embassy. even in paris, the pilgrims will always be remembered. with the conclusion of our paris trip came the end of the program. we had papers to write and quizzes to take-the last two weeks were the most pressing and difficult. our one happy diversion before the work built to a climax, was a fantastic thanksgiving meal, masterly prepared by the nasson girls. with full stomachs, we confronted the final tasks of diligent studying. during this time we reminisced the highlights of our trip. nostalgia permeated the group as thoughts of leaving suddenly seemed real. of course some of us were looking forward to seeing old friends and our families, but nevertheless our experiences and unity seemed difficult to leave. 140

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most poignant sights one could imagine. white marble crosses stretched as far as the eye could see. our next stop was at the german graveyard. massive black crosses grouped in fives spanned the fields. our last stop brought us to one of the sights where the longest day was filmed. some of us took pictures of the bridges and the surrounding area, then we finally departed for home. . . . yes, after three weeks, caen is considered home. as time passed, we fell into a regular pattern of living-allowing for pleasures and studies. we had a party at the ducheous-ann, a restaurant and dance hall. with beer and wine we made a happy group and surprisingly, sounds of french echoed from foreign tongues as we entertained some french students who came to meet us. soon after the stimulating experience, mr. strauch awarded us with our first exam. now our regular living pattern changed from pleasures and studies to studies and pleasures. we learned a great deal about architecture, art, and literature. with the near conclusion of the program, one realizes he benefited greatly from his studies. for example, after studying romanesque and gothic architecture of the middle ages, we visited some cathedrals which exemplified these types. one of the richest experiences, inspiring romantic longings for the exotic, was our visitation to the loire valley. we spent three days walking through fifteenth and sixteenth chateaus. we saw rooms where nobles were assasinated, and we walked on the grounds where great hunting parties set out. the luxurious carpeting, elegant tapestries, intricate wood carvings-all compose these storybook wonders and lived in our imaginations as we departed, noblemen of the renaissance. the course in humanities was general but comprehensive. professor strauch devoted long hours to organize a smooth program, geared to appeal to our interests. the french courses helped us somewhat, but we found it difficult to conscientiously study french and keep up with our reading in 139

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